John Melcher Jr.
John Melcher Jr. (July 17, 1856 - Oct 16, 1896) was born July 17, 1856 to John Melcher Sr. and Mary Kappes in Alamakee County, Iowa. He married Susan Giever on June 4, 1882 in Ashton, Iowa. Together they had eight children: Mary Ann, Susan Margaret, William, Helen Maria, Emma Elizabeth, Anna, Cecelia, Anthony. He worked as a carpenter and a farmer. John and two of his daughters, Cecilia and Anna, all died of diptheria within a week in October of 1896 in Ashton. Courtship Before John married Susan, he wrote her letters and poems. Some of these still exist, and transcripts of a couple of them are shown below. 1. Letter The following letter was written by John to Susan on Tuesday evening, February 28, 1882. This was a little more than three months before their wedding. Letter 1.jpg|Love Letter Page 1 Letter 2.jpg|Love Letter Page 2 'Text' My Dearest Susie, You told me the last time I was with you that you did not get any letters any more, so I thought that I might write a few lines this evening, that you will remember for many days to come. My Dearest Susie, You are never out of my mind no matter what I am doing or where I am. My thoughts are always of you and they make me feel happy. And I am wishing for the day when we will be made one, and live for one another as long as we live. I and Mike went to Ashton today. When we came back we stopped and had dinner with the boys. Fred Hess was there too. I helped John to wash the dishes and the other boys went out - he told me that he heard that I was going to take their cook away from them. I told him I guess not - they were just trying to fool him. No, he said it was so. Well he had me then you see. So I asked him if he had any objections if I would be his brother-in-law. He said no, but was very glad to have me for a brother-in-law. I told him I knew that I was glad, and that I thought I liked you as good as I could like anybody. And believe me, my dear Susie, I love you better and better every time I see you. My love for you is no school boy's fancy, but it is the real love. The love that never comes but once. Tom was here Sunday evening and he said that I seemed to be awful happy now. He wanted to know what was the matter. I have finished my foot rest and it is just beautiful. I made it for you. All for you. I will make more useful things for you dear Susie. I made two window brackets today to put flowers on. I will make anything that will be useful to you for your flowers and anything else. Well my dear Susie, I think I have written a very long letter so I will close my writing for this evening. And remember these words and letters and ____ them out. Please give me - O K K B W P good bye dear Susie My love. ::John Melcher, Jr. 'Observations' *Three months before their wedding, and they evidently were just telling people - her brother didn't know. *He makes mention of a footrest that he made - it would be interesting to find out if this still exists. *For those who bemoan the current generation for letting cell phones shorten their attention spans and stopping them from writing letters anymore - John's letter illustrates a constant truth: every generation complains about this about the new generation. John notes that Susan has complained that she doesn't get letters anymore... probably because of cell phones... The following quote illustrates how this was a common opinion in society at the time: *For those who also bemoan cell phones for creating "text-speak", see the next section: 'O.K.K.B.W.P.' John's letter again illustrates that nothing in history is new by including 19th Century text-speak. Near the end, he writes O K K B W P. A Merriam-Webster book (exactly which one currently escapes my memory) explains the phrase this way: :"Second, there was the abbreviation fad. Among the young and fashionable set in American cities in the late 1830's, the thing to do was to reduce phrases to initials. A New York newspaper in 1839 reported an au courant young lady as remarking to her escort, "O.K.K.B.W.P." The young man paused, then kissed her. The reporter interpreted the initialism as "One Kind Kiss Before We Part." What the fashionable set says and does often turns up in the newspaper, and the fad for initials did turn up in Boston newspapers in the summer of 1838, in New York in the summer of 1839, and in New Orleans in the fall of 1839. Probably the exchange of newspapers spread the fad." 2. Poem Just a few days after he wrote the above letter, John wrote Susan a poem on March 3, 1882. 'Text' ::::::Sibley, Iowa March 3, 1882 Oh, Susie, My Darling, Come Home to Me. I am waiting, yes waiting my darling, for thee; I've watched for your sweet-rosy face every day, The face that I left in town, far away. Susie, my darling, I'm long for you,-- I'm eager to kiss thee so tender and true; I'm watching and writing, I'm sighing in vain, To hold to my bosom, dear Susie again. Oh Susie, my darling, come home to me And bring with you, dearest, those charms unto me Bring all that I cherished at home on our tile And, Jewel, remember that fond loving smile Susie, my darling, don't longer so long-- Don't keep me in grief, but take heed to my song; I'm waiting, my darling, I'm waiting for you, And sign for a glance from your bright eyes of blue. Susie, my darling, oh, do not delay, But take the first chance and come this way; I'm waiting to welcome and comfort you here, And, Susie, I hope that you soon will be near. ::John Melcher, Jr. House After they married, they moved to the farm purchased by their dad for $3 per acre in West Holman Township, Osceola County, Iowa and also planted 10 acres of trees. Later they bought the 80 acres north for $8 per acre. This farm remained in the Melcher estate until the late 1970's when it was purchased by Don Larsen for ___. They built the house in Ashton in 1895. Part of the lumber came from the old school house that was destroyed by a tornado. Today the house belongs to Tony Melcher of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Pictures 74256024 131222576182.jpg 74256024 131222571561.jpg John_Melcher_Susan_Giever_house_and_barn_Ashton2.jpg|John Melcher Jr. and Susan Giever in front of their Ashton house John_Melcher_Susan_Giever_house_and_barn_Ashton1.jpg|John Melcher Jr. (probably on left), Unknown, and Susan Giever in Ashton John and Susan Giever Melcher 1.jpg John and Susan Giever Melcher 2.jpg References Proof of Parents "Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QJDS-LRGV : accessed 26 Sep 2014), John Melcher in entry for John Melcher and Susan G*N, 1882. "Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XJDV-1RF : accessed 26 Sep 2014), John Melcher in entry for John Melcher and Susan Griven, 04 Jun 1882; citing , Osceola, Iowa, United States; FHL microfilm 1434941. Category:John and Susan Melcher Family Category:John and Mary Melcher Family